Litigation Lawyers in Mandan

Civil depositions happen during civil litigation in Mandan, North Dakota. They are part of the discovery procedure.

"Discovery" is a procedure that happens before a trial in Mandan, North Dakota. During the discovery process, both sides are obligated to make relevant information available to each other.

One way to receive this information in Mandan, North Dakota is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Normally, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Mandan, North Dakota

Depositions in Mandan, North Dakota are meant to get verbal testimony on the record and into evidence, when there is concern that the individual being deposed might be unable to show up and testify at trial, or their testimony will take far too long for them to testify at trial.

Civil Depositions in Mandan, North Dakota can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Mandan, North Dakota, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

To help deal with this fact, Mandan, North Dakota permits witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's beneficial to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

In Mandan, North Dakota depositions, everyone being deposed is under oath. This means that you are legally and morally obligated to answer every question truthfully. If you deliberately misrepresent your knowledge (lie), you are guilty of perjury. And if you're caught, you could end up facing jail time and/or some extremely steep fines.

How Can A Mandan, North Dakota Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Mandan, North Dakota lawyer. If either party to the lawsuit calls you for a deposition, your lawyer will have plenty of advice for you. You should, of course, follow that advice to the letter.

If you are not a party to the lawsuit, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least contact with a Mandan, North Dakota attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.